Toronto’s Pixel Underground, a SIM Group company, has completed a major facility expansion that includes a cinema-style 4K grading theatre and 4K online finishing suite.

The new 4K theatre features a DaVinci Resolve colour grading system; a Sony 4K, DCI-compliant digital projector; a 14-foot projection screen and a Flanders 55-inch evaluation-grade monitor.

“Many feature and television productions today shoot in 4K or higher,” said President Marc Bachli. “Pixel Underground is one of few facilities in Toronto where directors, cinematographers and producers can review their work in 4K during post-production sessions. In our theatre, they can see their work at full resolution and get a true indication of focus, sharpness, grain structure and other attributes. That is a big benefit. We’re bringing 4K to the mainstream feature and television market.”

The 4K theatre will facilitate further collaboration between Pixel Underground and other SIM Group companies, including sound specialist Tattersall Sound & Picture and workflow specialist Bling Digital. “This move represents a significant step towards our goal of creating a comprehensive, world-class, post-production offering,” said SIM Group CTO Chris Parker. “Shows can now benefit from Tattersall, the city’s best sound post facility, Bling’s best-in-class dailies workflow and Pixel Underground’s 4K picture finishing.”

The 4K theatre includes 5.1 surround sound, with acoustical design and engineering support provided by Ed Segeren, Technical Director of Tattersall Sound & Picture, a SIM Group company. The theater is designed to function as a stand-alone facility with its own kitchen and other client services features.

The adjacent finishing suite features an Avid Symphony Nitris with Nuke and AfterEffects compositing also available. The suite shares a common network with the grading theatre to facilitate collaboration and the seamless sharing of projects and elements.

Construction of the new facilities spanned four months. Pixel Underground conducted extensive tests of the projection system to assess its ability to accurately display media from cameras made by Arri, Sony, Canon and other manufacturers.

Pixel Underground has recently completed projects for NBC, A&E, Scripps Network, Discovery (Canada and U.S.), National Geographic, BBC, Shaw and Chorus.

Sneak peak at the new #4K theatre
@SIMDigital1 @PS_Canada @blingdigital @chainsawedit @TattersallSound @PostFactoryNY pic.twitter.com/sOy1Gi572Z

— Pixel Underground (@PixelUnderG) June 18, 2015

TORONTO

Pixel Underground Adds 4K Grading Theatre